THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS IN PORTUGAL INCREASED MAINLY THANKS TO BRAZILIANS

Just in 2017, more than 869.000 Brazilian tourists visited Portugal. Compared to 2016, which amassed around 625.000 Brazilian tourists, there is a 39% increase. The data is provided by the National Statistical Institute (INE).

The tiny country in Southern Europe, with a population of only 10.5 million inhabitants, has been attracting more and more tourists. Just to depict the current situation, in 2005 there were almost 6 million visitors from all over the world in Portugal. In 2017, the number of tourists more than doubled, reaching a total of 12.6 million foreign holidaymakers who visited Portugal.

The Brazilians have been a substantial part of this trend. In 2005, the number of Brazilian tourists in the country was slightly above 177.000 and, ten years later, in 2015, it reached 522.000, a value three times greater. In 2016, it exceeded 625.000 Brazilian tourists.

Now the Brazilians occupy the fifth place in the list of the Portuguese tourism source countries.

The United Kingdom holds the first spot, with almost 2 million people who visited Portugal in 2017. Then comes Spain (1.7 million); France and Germany (slightly above 1.3 million).

Brazil, in the number of tourists who have visited Portugal, is ahead of nations such as the United States (685.000 tourists in 2017) and Italy (543.000).

According to information provided by the website Turismo em Portugal, part of the Ministry of Economy, the country won the award for the World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards 2017.

According to data from the INE, the revenue gathered by the hospitality industry in Portugal registered a 16.6% growth, with the total expenditures of tourists being estimated at 3.4 million euros (taking into account the local visitors as well).

Currently, the revenue from tourism and travel accounts for 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, which grew by around 2.7% in 2017.